Police: Man drove SUV at officers during chase

Amarillo police arrested a man after they said he stole a vehicle and drove it toward officers during a Thursday night chase near Interstate 40 and Grand Street.

Travis E. Wayne Little, 26, and another man were booked after police stopped an SUV that nearly struck police officers as they tried to stop Little.

At 6:20 a.m., police said officers responded to an auto theft call in the 1600 block of East Amarillo Boulevard, where someone had left keys unattended in a 1996 Toyota and had returned to discover the vehicle was gone.

At 4 p.m., police said officers responded to an auto burglary call in the 1000 block of Southeast 10th Avenue, and police found the Toyota abandoned in a nearby parking lot.

Police said surveillance footage from a nearby business showed a Toyota 4Runner as a possible suspect vehicle.

About 8:55 p.m., police said officers were responding to a service call when they saw a gray 4Runner that resembled the vehicle in the video traveling south on South Nelson Street from Interstate 40.

Police said officers attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Little would not step out. Authorities said Little slowed down and drove close to a curb, then made an abrupt stop before he threw a female passenger from the front passenger seat.

Little kept driving, authorities said, and police pursued him. Police said they had to stop pursuing him at least twice due to Little’s erratic driving. When police would let up during the pursuit, authorities said Little would turn the 4Runner around and drive toward officers.

Eventually, Little was driving north on South Grand Street toward I-40, where police said an officer was waiting with a spike strip. Little saw the officer as he was throwing out the strip, and police said Little turned and drove toward the officer.

The officer tried to get out of Little’s path and dragged the spike strip behind him as Little was closing in, police said. Little eventually lost control of the vehicle and came to a stop before police surrounded him.

Police said officers removed Little from the 4Runner at gunpoint, and two other occupants were removed, including 20-year-old Brandon Joe Gordon. Police said they found a gun that Little threw from the 4Runner. Inside the 4Runner, officers found stolen property from the 10th Avenue burglary and a syringe with what appeared to be methamphetamine, police said.

Police said Little was booked into the Potter County jail on charges of aggravated assault on a public servant; possession of a controlled substance, more than 1 gram and less than 4 grams; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle.

Gordon was arrested on seven capias warrants totaling $1,996, and authorities said the other passenger and the woman who was pushed out of the 4Runner were released.